Undergrad Institution; Degree and Major:
The University of Virginia, B.A. in Studio Art
Medical School:
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
In practice since:
2018
Your Specialty:
Forensic Pathology
Where and for how many years did you train AFTER medical school:
Residency: Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Residency at Emory (4 years)
Fellowship: Forensic Pathology Fellowship at the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office/Emory (1 year)How did you choose your specialty?
When I was in medical school, I rotated through pathology 4th year as an elective, and I felt like I had “found my people.” The pathologists enjoyed coming to work; they seemed happy. With an artist’s eye and a printmaker’s belief in “the process”, I found the pattern recognition component of histopathology very natural and the physicality of the autopsy procedure very satisfying.
What do you like MOST, and like LEAST, about your specialty?
I most like uncovering unexpected findings during autopsy (undiagnosed malignancy, undiagnosed infectious disease) and providing next of kin with closure. I feel the most satisfaction when surviving family members find peace because of my work or learn of something significant to their own health.
I least like that sometimes it takes months to complete a case or a sign a death certificate – due to the opioid epidemic it may take months for toxicology results to come back; it may take months to receive necessary subpoenaed medical records from hospitals. I recognize that I can’t control these things, but I still wish I could.
In your opinion, what attributes are important in anyone choosing this specialty?
A person who chooses forensic pathology should have empathy for speaking with next of kin, excellent writing skills, the ability to think before speaking, and the ability to explain complex scientific information without jargon. The forensic pathologist must explain their findings to juries composed of people from all different backgrounds.
Hobbies/special interests:
Education, painting, playing with my child at the park/zoo/garden and experiencing joy through his eyes